New Beginnings
by tesstesstessa
Summary: Lily Evans and James Potter are both hoping for a hassle-free year. But things are never hassle-free when it comes to the two of them - and you know what they say, a bad beginning can only mean a bad ending. Or can it? James/Lily one-shot.


**A/N:** I don't even know why I wrote this. But yeah. This is a random one-shot. Excuse its shittiness. Review please!

Everything belongs to JK Rowling.

* * *

Today is the first of September, 1977. Today is a very important day, crucial to the lives of witches and wizards all over England. But they don't know it.

Today, Lily Evans picks up her shiny Head Girl badge, grinning at it and tucking it safely into her pocket.

Today, James Potter turns the house upside-down for his Head Boy badge, which refuses to answer his Summoning Charm, for some reason. It's still on his desk, but he doesn't notice that. Today, for once, he's too busy thinking.

Today, Lily Evans is like a ray of sunshine. She flies through her house, thoroughly annoying her sister Petunia, who's visiting.

"Good morning!" she trills, waltzing into the kitchen and pouring herself a glass of cold milk. Petunia gives her a chilly stare, but Lily barely notices. Humming to herself, she Summons her trunk down the stairs, taking pleasure in her sister's fury. "Where are Mum and Dad?" she asks, after checking to make sure her badge is still in her pocket. She's already fully dressed, but that's no surprise. She's known to become excited to the point of hyperventilation on the first of September. If they advanced the Hogwarts Express's departure time by three hours, Lily would still be absolutely prepared.

"Out," replies Petunia curtly.

"I realised," Lily says. But even Petunia's sour words can't rain on her parade today. "They're buying flowers, aren't they?" Her sister half-nods. So, her parents would return in an hour or so, arms full with lilies and petunias. "That's lovely," she remarks, settling into a chair at the kitchen table.

"Isn't it," Petunia says coldly.

"Very." Lily leans back in her chair, shutting her eyes. Today, she is bulletproof.

xxx

Today, as James Potter runs his hand through his hair for about the millionth time, he asks himself why he, of all people, is the new Head Boy. His parents are terribly pleased - his mother even teared up a little, embarrassing everyone, including herself - but he's only confused. He knows full well that he's got a reputation. If he hadn't grown up hearing about Dumbledore's brilliance, he might even have wondered if the old wizard had finally snapped it. His best mates think it's absolutely hilarious that one of Hogwarts' leading pranksters is the Head Boy - Sirius can't stop teasing him about it.

"Cheer up, Prongs," Sirius grins as they approach the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. "I'm sure the job has some perks."

"Shut up, Padfoot," James replies. They face the stone pillar, and it hits him that this is the last time he'll walk through it like this. "Ready for some reminiscing?" he says.

"Sorry?" Sirius looks at him as if he's mental.

James grins. "We've got to leave our mark on King's Cross, don't we?"

"Of course." Sirius's wand is out in an instant, and together, the boys Transfigure every hat in sight into kittens.

Silently laughing, the two Marauders push their luggage through the barricade, just as a redhead screams at the kitten pawing her face.

xxx

_Today is supposed to be a_good_day,_ Lily thinks furiously, lifting a kitten off her head. Her hair must be completely ruined - and her mental state too. Glare in place, she marches onto platform nine and three-quarters. She isn't blind. She saw the two boys laughing by the barricade before. She would recognise James Potter and Sirius Black anywhere, having spent the past six years at Hogwarts trying to steer clear of both. She can guess the rest from there. It wouldn't be too hard for them to turn every hat into a kitten. And though she knows they hadn't been targeting _her_, she's furious at them for ruining her day before it's even started properly. Her voice of reason reminds her that they couldn't have known that she'd decided to wear a hat today, but it does nothing to quell her anger.

She does her best to put it out of mind, and instead focuses on the familiar sights and sounds of the station. She smiles at the familiar scarlet and black engine, puffing gentle white wisps of smoke. Students mill around the platform, parents greeting each other and finishing last-minute tasks. Lily loses herself in the wonderful chaos of it all, the chattering washing over her.

"Helga, you've grown _so bloody tall_!"

"Oi, Belby - did you really visit Egypt over the summer?"

"LILY EVANS, DARLING! Move aside, brat, that's the Head Girl over there."

Rolling her eyes, but still smiling, Lily makes her way over to Marlene McKinnon, who's waving frantically at her. "Hey, Marls. One would think you'd last met me a century ago instead of last week."

"Shut up, Evans." Marlene envelopes her in an embrace. "You love me."

"You know I do," Lily replies, steering her best friend into the train. "D'you know who the Head Boy is?"

Surprised, Marlene twists around to squint at her. "You mean you haven't found out yet? Did you ask Remus?"

"Yeah, he wrote me over the summer. It's not him, but who could it be?" Pushing through the corridor and squeezing into an empty compartment, the girls mentally think of all the possibilities for Head Boy. "Just great," Lily groans. "I'm going to have to share a bloody wing with this bloke, and I have no idea who he is. I'll be practically living with him!"

"You'll be as good as married," Marlene says, grinning wickedly. "It'll be fine, Lils, you'll probably wind up with some really dashing bloke who's perfectly ready to declare undying love to you-"

"Yes, all I need is another James Potter," Lily mutters.

"Look on the bright side," her friend suggests as the train begins to pull out of the station. "_He's_never going to be Head Boy. And besides, what's the worst-case scenario? Snape being Head Boy with you. It's unlikely," she adds hurriedly, seeing Lily's horrified expression.

"That would be terrible!" Lily says loudly.

"What would be?" asks a new voice.

"Hello, Gemma," Marlene says, smiling at the Hufflepuff Prefect. Gemma Midgeon was an acquaintance of theirs - Lily's friend, Marlene's cousin - and the girls sometimes sat together on the Hogwarts Express.

"You're Head Girl," Gemma points out, sitting down opposite Lily. "How could anything be terrible for you right now?"

"We were talking about Head Boy," Lily explains. "What if it's someone horrible? What if - what if it's Warner Blake?"

Gemma chuckles. "It's not going to be Warner Blake, Lily. Calm down. It'll probably be a very nice-looking bloke, and he'll be funny and charming and cheer you up whenever you're upset. Better?"

Lily grins despite herself. "Yeah, I guess."

Today, she promises herself, is going to be a great day.

xxx

James decides that this is the most boring train ride ever. He and Sirius have already turned every inanimate object in their compartment into kittens and set them free to roam the train, much to Remus's chagrin.

"Don't do that," he says finally, as Sirius Transfigures his Chocolate Frog into a black kitten.

"Pitying your fellow students, Moony?" asks Sirius, throwing the sleeping Peter an annoyed glance when he lets out a loud snore.

"Actually, I'm pitying the kittens."

"You're going soft."

Remus doesn't dignify that with an answer. Instead, he turns to James. "Are you coming to the Prefects' compartment?"

James stares at him, horrified. "Are you _mental_, Moony?" he returns. "Of course not!"

Remus smiles. "Not even to see the looks on their faces?"

"Tempting, but no."

"Lily's Head Girl."

Ah. _Very_ tempting. James shrugs nonchalantly. "I'll still pass."

Sighing, Remus gets to his feet. "Try not to turn any of my things into kittens."

"We promise," Sirius replies, grinning mischievously. As soon as Moony's back is turned, James swishes his wand, changing his cloak into a furry little grey feline.

xxx

When Lily walks into the Entrance Hall, she's relieved to see Professor McGonagall standing at the top of the staircase, deep in conversation with someone who looks like a new teacher. The first-years haven't arrived yet, and Lily knows she's got about ten minutes to speak to the Deputy Head. Saying a quick goodbye to Marlene, she pushes her way through the crowd of students towards McGonagall. She starts up the stairs, but the stern Head of Gryffindor doesn't notice her, and begins to walk back down. Lily has to hurry to follow.

"Professor-" she begins, and McGonagall turns around in puzzlement. Lily is so busy moving that she doesn't the small grey cat at her feet, until she trips over it. She shrieks, the grey stone floor coming closer - and closer - and closer - until everything goes black.

xxx

James has never been more embarrassed in his life. Dumbledore calls him and Lily out by name in the middle of his speech, but since she's missing, he has to bear the scrutiny alone. He gives a halfhearted wave to the students gawping at him. With a twinge of annoyance, he stares at the table. Is it really _that_ surprising, him being Head Boy? Merlin, he's irresponsible, but he isn't absolutely _stupid._

Lily probably knows about it already, he tells himself. Marlene McKinnon is her best friend, after all, and that girl knows every secret ever whispered within the Hogwarts grounds. It's a shame, he thinks, because he would have liked to surprise her.

xxx

Lily groggily dries her wet hair with a quick spell, staring at herself in the mirror. She's got a big purple knot on her forehead, and it looks absolutely horrible. Grimacing, Lily tries to cover it with her hair. It only makes her look deranged. Sighing, she pulls the bathroom door open. She's tired; Madam Pomfrey let her up only because she promised to sleep as soon as she got into her room. The Head Wing is spacious and warm, but Lily has no intention of exploring it. As she steps out of the steamy bathroom into her warm bedroom, she wants nothing more than to fall into her bed and drift away for a few hours. All her anxious thoughts about Head Boy are forgotten.

"Looking easy on the eyes, Evans," a voice says, a dreadfully familiar voice. Lily screams. "Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?" James Potter sits up straight from the sofa - _her_ sofa, in _her_Head Wing - he was stretched over.

_"What are you doing here?!"_ Lily demands hysterically. She realises that she's wearing a very baggy shirt and very tiny shorts. She also realises that Potter is shirtless, and his sweats are low enough for her to see the tops of his hipbones. Neither of these things help her horror.

"Hang on-" Rummaging beside him, Potter picks up something and flings it at her. Lily is taken by surprise, but she manages to catch it. What she sees makes her stomach drop.

"I'm Head Boy," James says, as if it's the most normal thing in the world. He's grinning like a cat that's just caught a fat little mouse.

"Excuse me?" Lily splutters, praying this is all a nightmare.

"That's right," he says cheerfully. "Good thing we already understand each other so well, eh? What a lovely way to begin the year."

_"Lovely,"_ she repeats softly, and slams her door shut.

* * *

**A/N:** Did you like it? Leave a review! xx

Love,

Tessa


End file.
